Obesity has long been a public health concern around the world. More than a billion people will be obese by 2030, according to recent worldwide study.
The new data comes from the World Obesity Federation's fourth world obesity atlas, which was released earlier this year. By 2030, one out of every five women and one out of every seven males will be obese.
Photo via The Columbian
At the moment, North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean have the highest rates of obesity. However, obesity will affect more than half of the population in the United States by 2030.
According to the report, by 2030, 74 million African women would be obese, up from 26 million in 2010 and 27 million men. Also by 2030, half of all South African women are predicted to be obese.
"The figures in our report are frightening, but what is even more disturbing is how insufficient our response has been," Johanna Ralston said in a Guardian report.
“Everyone has a fundamental right to effective prevention, treatment, and management. To change the tide on obesity, now is the time for coordinated, resolute, and people-centered action,” she said.
Obesity is responsible for roughly a quarter of all non-communicable illness fatalities in Africa, which is 22%. Malnutrition, on the other hand, continues to be a major issue in the region. The World Food Programme said earlier this month that a severe drought is causing an estimated 13 million people in the Horn of Africa to go hungry every day.
Photo via BBC UK
While undernutrition is the most serious problem on the continent, Dr. Adelheid Onyango of the WHO's regional office for Africa said, "we cannot close our eyes to [fat] anymore. It has already been identified as a public health issue.
“Because our obesity rates have historically been low, the incremental growth will be considerable,” she went on to say, "We're seeing a shift in the consumption of poor diets."
The World Obesity Atlas also examines countries' obesity preparedness, which includes health systems to deal with the circumstance. The results show that high-income countries have better equipment, while low- and middle-income countries are not prepared.
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
